The subject invention relates to a new and improved take out carton and a blank for forming the same having a sturdy and attractive recloseable gabled top portion. The take out carton of the subject invention is formed from a planar sheet of cardboard blank and includes an auto-erecting lock bottom enabling the carton to be shipped from the manufacturer in a flattened condition. The carton has a generally inverted truncated pyramidal configuration to permit the stacked nesting of a plurality of cartons. In accordance with the subject invention, the gabled top portion includes a unique closure structure including foldable closure tabs which may be interengaged with apertures provided in the top panels, the closure structure being suitable for rapid locking and closure, and to obtain a secure and stable carton.
Various cartons in the prior art have been developed for use at carry out food establishments which can be shipped in a flattened configuration and partially erected and stacked prior to being filled. After being filled, the cartons can be quickly closed enabling the consumer to carry out their purchase. One example of a prior art recloseable gabled top carton can be found in U.S. application Ser. No. 030,009, to Austin, filed Apr. 16, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,261 issued Oct. 28, 1980, and assigned to the same assignee as the subject invention. In the latter mentioned patent, a gabled top carton is disclosed which includes a pair of locking side panels having apertures formed therein. A pair of locking top panels, formed of three hingedly connected triangular sections, are also provided, each of which are foldable downwardy to form a locking tab which can be interengaged with the associated locking aperture in the side panel. In one embodiment of the prior art carton, a pair of bendable tabs are hingedly connected to the handle panels adjacent the gripping apertures formed therein. The bendable tabs inhibit the lateral shifting of the gabled top panels thereby increasing the structural rigidity of the carton and provide a more secure closure thereof.
It is an object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved take out carton having a unique closure means which provides increased structural stability for the carton.
It is a further object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved take out carton which includes a pair of closure panels which may be folded into interengagement with tab receiving apertures provided in the gabled top portion of the carton such that the relative lateral shifting of the top panels is inhibited.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a new and improved take out carton having a pair of unique closure panels formed of three hingedly connected triangles including a base triangle and side triangles, the side triangles being divided into minor triangle portions each of which are foldable to define a closure tab. Each closure tab is capable of interengagement with a tab receiving aperture in a top panel of the carton thereby inhibiting lateral shifting of the top panels which increased structural stability of the carton.